Is it true that people with high uric acid cannot eat soy products?

The soybeans mentioned in nutrition science actually only include yellow soybeans, black soybeans and green soybeans. Soybeans and their products are very nutritious. In addition to containing "good fats" - unsaturated fatty acids, they are also rich in soy isoflavones, soy sterols, soy lecithin and dietary fiber, as well as calcium, iron, B vitamins and other nutrients needed by the body.

There are many benefits to eating soy foods, so can kidney patients eat them?

1. Patients with chronic kidney disease can eat soy protein

The Dietary Guidelines for Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (WS/T 557-2017) clearly states that appropriate amounts of high-quality protein foods such as milk, eggs or various meats, soy protein, etc. are the main sources of protein, and recommends that patients with chronic kidney disease eat soy protein. The Chinese Clinical Practice Guidelines for Nutritional Treatment of Chronic Kidney Disease (2021) also points out that increasing the proportion of high-quality plant protein (soybeans) in the food of patients with kidney disease is beneficial to reducing the level of proteinuria in patients with diabetic nephropathy and reducing the mortality rate of patients with diabetic nephropathy in chronic kidney disease stages 3-5.

2. How can patients with kidney disease eat soy products scientifically?

It should be noted that although patients with chronic kidney disease can safely eat soy products, they must replace them with other high-quality protein foods such as lean meat, milk and eggs under the premise of limiting protein intake. Intake of 20-25 grams of soybeans or corresponding soy products per day is equivalent to about 140 grams of soft tofu, 365 grams of soy milk, 55 grams of dried tofu, 175 grams of rennet tofu, 40 grams of tofu shreds and 72.5 grams of old tofu.

Also note that the potassium content of soybeans is 1503 mg per 100 grams, so patients with chronic kidney disease and high blood potassium should be cautious when eating. Soybeans are rich in phosphorus, and although it will be lost in the process of making soy products, the phosphorus content in soy products such as bean skin, thousand sheets, and yuba is still not low.

In addition, fermented bean curd, fermented black beans, and bean paste have excessive salt content and other additives, so kidney patients should choose them carefully. Since dry beans contain some anti-nutrients such as phytic acid, protease inhibitors, and beany smell, eating a large amount at once can easily cause bloating and diarrhea, and the protein is difficult to digest and absorb. Therefore, it is recommended that kidney patients try not to choose dry beans such as dry soybeans and dry black beans.

3. Can patients with hyperuricemia eat soy products?

Since many kidney disease patients have hyperuricemia, they believe that soy products contain more purine, which is also a factor in people's "stay away" from soy products. Many patients no longer eat soy products after discovering that their uric acid levels are elevated, but their uric acid levels have not decreased significantly.

In fact, the purine content in every 100 grams of soybeans is 100-150 mg, but after being processed into soy products, the purine content will be greatly reduced. The effect of beans and soy products in promoting uric acid excretion exceeds the effect of the purine they contain in increasing blood uric acid synthesis, so beans and their products are actually protective factors for high uric acid.

The "Chinese Multidisciplinary Expert Consensus on the Diagnosis and Treatment of Hyperuricemia-Related Diseases (2023 Edition)" clearly states that beans and soy products have no obvious correlation with hyperuricemia and gout attacks. Soy products can be consumed in moderation during the hyperuricemia period, but they should be temporarily avoided during the acute attack of gout.

Kidney disease patients have many dietary restrictions. Soy products are rich in nutrients. Eating different soy products each time can greatly enrich the food choices of kidney disease patients. However, it is recommended that chronic kidney disease patients must understand their own condition, clarify their daily calorie and protein intake, understand the principles of food replacement, and reasonably choose soy foods under the guidance of clinical nutritionists.